Creative Accessibility Solutions: An Example
-Steve Tsou, Associate
Ronnette Riley Architect
ADA compliance is an ubiquitous issue, and this really came home to me when I noticed this improvised accessibility solution at a train station yesterday.
When you start looking closely at what the accessibility needs are, and what’s out there as actual conditions, you’ll see how much you need this sort of improvisation. You’ll notice that various agencies, like Amtrak in this case, are implementing different solutions to address these challenges, both in the short and long term.
As I visited this station, I took these images to demonstrate an improvised accessibility solution, which is filling in one available (local) train track with an accessible platform instead, and then the train is boarded from the express track (whether or not it is a local or express train).
This particular example illustrates a creative short-term solution: using the track that the railroad cars enter the station to allow access. The access is using the track area itself. It uses the local track, allowing the local track to be converted into an ADA platform level with the train access. While this setup might only suit the unique configuration of those rails, it absolutely fulfills the need for accessibility in that specific scenario.
This is likely a temporary solution as a permanent solution would require rebuilding the platform of the station. The main issues are the height of the train doors in relation to the platform and the depth of the platform to accommodate level changes while allow circulation on the accessible path.
These creative solutions are essential because public law mandates that agencies implement accessibility. This obligation in turn drives the need for creative and adaptable approaches. We need this sort of careful planning and consideration.
Maybe this solution only fits the unique configuration of the rails that are there at this station. But even if a train is not an express train, it fits here on the express track for the purpose of accessibility seen here. They're essentially utilizing a unique solution -- and everyone has to consider this kind of creativity, or at least everyone who’s mandated have to consider accessibility. That’s because accessibility is part of public law, and that creates a lot of unique solutions that they need to examine carefully – this is not simply solved in an ADA guidelines or a standard brochure. This is creative thinking.
